The Las Vegas Aces are celebrating a huge win. They secured their third WNBA championship on October 10. The Aces handily defeated the Phoenix Mercury 97-86. This victory makes them the WNBA’s newest dynasty. They are only the second team in league history to win three titles in four years. The legendary Houston Comets were the only other team to achieve this feat.
The series ended in a sweep. The Aces’ dominant performance shocked many fans. Superstar forward A’ja Wilson was the driving force. She delivered an iconic Finals performance. Wilson secured a major individual record on the way to the title. She became the first player ever to achieve a legendary career feat.
A’ja Wilson’s Unprecedented Individual Record
Wilson’s 2024 season will be remembered forever. She became the first basketball player in history to accomplish something incredible. She won the regular season MVP award. Wilson also secured the Finals MVP award. These two awards alone put her among the WNBA elite.
Furthermore, she was named Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson also finished the season as the league’s scoring champion. No player, male or female, has ever won all four awards in the same season. This accomplishment immediately elevated her status. She has also now won two WNBA Finals MVP awards. This places her on a short, exclusive list of champions.
WNBA Dynasty is Born in Las Vegas
The Aces are now officially a WNBA dynasty. They joined the Houston Comets in the record books. The Comets won four championships from 1997 to 2000. Wilson set a new league record this postseason. She scored the most points ever in a single playoff run. Her strong play was evident throughout the Finals. She scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the close-out game. She also hit an iconic game-winning shot in Game Three.
Aces coach Becky Hammon had strong praise for her star. Hammon sees Wilson as completely unique in the sport. The coach shared her high-level belief in Wilson. “You have your Mount Rushmore, she’s alone on Everest,” Hammon stated after the game. “There’s no one around.”
Overcoming Team Adversity and Struggles
The team’s path to a third title was challenging. Coach Hammon admitted the struggles were great. “This one hits different because it was different,” she shared with reporters. “There was probably a lot more adversity than any of us anticipated.”
The team suffered an embarrassing 53-point loss mid-season. They fell to the Minnesota Lynx on August 2. Star guards Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young helped steady the team. Gray is known as the “Point Gawd.” Their collective effort helped keep the team on course.
Backup point guard Dana Evans credited Wilson’s leadership. Wilson was the stabilizing force during the hard times. “She (Wilson) was the positive person (during our struggles),” Evans recalled. Wilson sent motivating texts to the team. She would tell her teammates, “Hey, y’all, we good. Keep your heads up.”
The GOAT Conversation and Generational Talent
Wilson’s greatness is now a hot topic. Aces President Nikki Fargas sees her as the best ever. She called Wilson a “generational talent.” Fargas believes there is nothing left for Wilson to do.
“A’ja Wilson, once finished playing, will be the GOAT,” Fargas confidently told an outlet. “There’s not gonna be anything left for her to do.” Fargas hopes fans do not take Wilson’s greatness for granted. The Aces’ ability to stay focused was key. Chelsea Gray told reporters, “We had confidence in each other. I’m just really proud of how we just stayed the course.”
